Sunday, December 28th
Good morning, New Yorker.
The city wakes up blanketed in its heaviest snowfall in nearly four years, and with it, the familiar churn of disrupted transit and delayed plans. Streets are slower, subways are spotty, and airports are handling hundreds of last-minute flight cancellations. Despite snowfalls of ~4in falling short of projections of up to 10 inches, the city has still been stalled en masse following the holiday storm, with Gov. Hochul issuing a 36-hour state of emergency.
Weather Brief
Overcast skies and 28 degrees will keep roads slick and sidewalks slushy today. With wind chills making it feel colder and transit impacted, expect slower commutes and more time spent indoors.
What to Watch Today
- The MTA has suspended service on parts of the subway system due to the snowstorm; check for updates before heading out.
- Hundreds of flights remain canceled at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark as crews work to clear runways.
- Albany lawmakers are reviewing a proposed bill that would reexamine life sentences for incarcerated New Yorkers, part of a broader push around criminal justice reform.
- Preparations continue in Times Square and across the city for the expanded New Year's Eve celebration linked to the U.S. semiquincentennial launch.
The Lead
New York City’s transit and travel systems are under strain following several inches of snowfall, the most since 2022 - as the storm triggered major disruptions across airports, subways, and local roads. Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed, subway lines have been suspended, and city workers are racing to clear roads while residents adjust routines. The situation underscores the city’s ongoing vulnerability to even moderate winter weather and tests emergency readiness amid the year-end holiday rush.
Power & Accountability
- The New York State Senate begins consideration of a bill to allow parole hearings for prisoners sentenced to 15 years or more, regardless of original sentence length.
- Christie’s auctioned the Weis family art collection for $218 million, exceeding estimates and spotlighting the city’s continued global relevance in high-value asset markets.
- A lawsuit filed by the Trump-Kennedy Center demands $1 million in damages from jazz musician Chuck Redd over a canceled concert tied to political disputes.
Around the City
- A CVS employee in Lindenhurst was fatally stabbed on Christmas Day, and a suspect is now in custody.
- A 4-year-old girl found unresponsive in a Bronx apartment has died, and an NYPD investigation is ongoing.
- An off-duty NYPD officer in Elmont saved a neighbor's baby who was choking, receiving praise from the department and community.
The Thread
Today’s news reveals a city reshaped by the tension between preparedness and unpredictability, where storms disrupt not just transit but trust in infrastructure, and where both justice reform and national celebration unfold within networks of institutional power. These moments, from boardrooms to subways, speak to the constant negotiation between control and condition in daily New York life.